MOTHER

[a_gentle_boy]

[action]
[It was difficult to celebrate a holiday under the effects of mind control, no matter how subtle.  So he'd postponed his plans, just a few days.  The exact date wasn't of much importance to him - they hadn't even had this day in Tazmily - but the spirit of it . . . That was what he wanted to honor.

He holds a single sunflower, the mass of roots and dirt cupped between his hands as he makes his way to a corner of the park he had sought out for this purpose.  It may be that it would be gone the next day, but . . . if he could have this for a day, that would be enough.  Enough time to sit, to think . . . to remember and to reflect.  A large insect of some sort sits atop his shoulder and chitters away curiously.  He ignores it, for the time being, and sets the flower down carefully against the grass.  He takes ahold of his trowel and begins to dig.

The work is not hard.  The hole is made before long, and gently, he lowers the flower, nestling it within the hollow.  He pats the dirt down, adjusts the leaves and petals . . . finds a rock and sets it before the golden flower.  He begins to speak aloud as he carefully scratches away.]

Little stinkbug...  You've recorded the history of my world, right?  You remember everything Leder said to us that day.  Right before we went to face Porky for the last time.  To remind us in case we forgot . . . if we forgot what it is we were fighting for.

So... I want you to record something else, too.  Is that OK?  ... Something... Something just as important.  Not in case I forget.  I couldn't ever forget.  But because . . . it's something that should always be remembered.  No matter how much time passes.  A hundred years from now, I want people to remember her name...

She saved the Nowhere Islands.  Not me and Boney, or Kumatora, or Duster.  If it weren't for her... I would have died a long time ago. 

Her name was Hinawa.  My mom.  Hinawa.

[action 2]
[Sometime later, he sits by himself in front of the rock that reads, 'HINAWA - A loving mother'.  The stinkbug is gone.  Lucas draws his knees up to his chest and wraps his arms around them.] 

It's been a long time.  It's better... that you're not here anymore.  All of the things that've happened since you left - not much of it was good.  I wish . . . I really wish that I don't see you again.  Because thinking about you here, going through drones and Grady and ... and giant robots and things.  It hurts a lot more thinking about that than thinking that you're happy where you are now.

Are you happy?  You and Claus . . . I'm not smart enough to understand where you might be, but if you're at home and you're watching everyone and you're worried that I'm not there . . . Please don't.  I'll be OK.  I promise.  I want you to rest.  You shouldn't have to worry about me anymore or about our world.  That's... It's all taken care of.  You've done everything you needed to.  So.  You shouldn't worry. 

And I won't worry, either.  Even if I never see you again... Even if I never see you again as long as I'm alive.  That'll be a good thing.  Because it means ... you don't have to try to protect me.  It means you can be at peace.  And . . . I'll be OK.  Because no matter how much time passes, I'll always remember.  Everything about you.  The way you smile, the way you laugh.  The way I feel when you're near me.  If I remember all of that... I'll be OK.

Things always keep on changing, no mater how much I wish they wouldn't.  I'm growing up here, without you and Dad.  I outgrew another shirt last week.  It was one I've had since I got here, so... I didn't want to throw it away.  That's silly, right?... It's hard to think that I might be here until I'm an adult, but... I think, too, that you did such a good job the first ten years that I'll be alright by myself.

No matter what.......... I'll definitely be alright.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom.  That's what they say here.  I love you.

((Either action/conversation can be responded to, though if you have little to no CR with Lucas, I'd prefer you not overhear the second prompt.))

Comments

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[He's a little startled, twisting his head quickly, but he recognizes who it is soon enough. Lucas will nod slowly, uncross his legs . . . reach out and begin to pat again at the dirt surrounding the flower so his head was lowered.]

.........Thanks.

Like people say... I didn't know how lucky I was until I lost it.

[heartstar-blues.livejournal.com]

Don't think about it that way kid.

Be glad for what you had, don't be sad for what you lost.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[He works silently for a second or two longer.]

I am. I really am. But I think, still ... I might be sad just because... I'm sad.

Sorry.

I didn't actually think anyone would hear me.

[heartstar-blues.livejournal.com]

Well then, that's okay, probably.

[You are so good at this Captain.]

Yeah, I am just staying out of the house for now.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Probably hopefully.

[Lucas will weakly agree with a half-smile. The dirt is totally compressed by now if he pats any harder it will start caving in so Lucas moves on to fiddle with the petals instead.]

It's a nice day to be outside. Do you have a garden or anything?

[heartstar-blues.livejournal.com]

Yeah, there's one around my house. I think Sakura takes care of it.

[Man, his memory is fried. He tries to remember when Lucas first came here. He can barely put the dates together between the times he came here.]

How long have you been here?

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

I've been here since February of last year. I didn't really think much about Mother's Day last year, but I thought I'd try to do something this time.

[heartstar-blues.livejournal.com]

Yeah, you're a good kid. I'm glad to see that hasn't changed at least.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

..... Thanks.

You're a good, um. Person, too. It's been a long time now since we first met, hasn't it?

[heartstar-blues.livejournal.com]

If you count the first time...

[Before he broke his promise to the town.]

...yeah. I guess so.

I don't even remember when it was I was supposed to have been here the first time.

Just some of the people and events.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

It feels like a long time, most of the time. But then... it feels like it just happened, too. You disappeared in the middle of summer. But I met you before that a few times. You, um. Flew into a tree and died.

[heartstar-blues.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I remember. I remember a lot of the people I met and some of the dumb ☠☠☠☠ I got myself into.

[Don't mention you died hitting another tree since then... don't.]

Sorry about that one.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

It's alright. I . . . I should've warned you.

...

Someone named Scout rolled you home in my shield. Did I ever say that?

[heartstar-blues.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I should have watched where I was flying. I'm not used to flying and being able to be killed by trees.

...

...

... No you didn't. Really?

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

. . . I know it's really terrible, but it was a little funny watching him do that. I never thought about using my shields like a hamster ball.

[heartstar-blues.livejournal.com]

Well, at least it wasn't all horrible then right?

I don't even think I felt a thing.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

. . .

How did you become a superhero, Mr. Captain? How did you get your superpowers?... You don't have to answer if you don't want.

[heartstar-blues.livejournal.com]

Little green men from space gave me powers.

After that, I started doing the super hero thing.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

. . . Is that a real answer or is it that you don't want to say?

[heartstar-blues.livejournal.com]

That's the truth.

They called it the "Heart Star" and said I'd have the power to save my home from all the bad, or something. They liked talking.

They burned a hole through my shirt when they gave it to me.

After that I could fly, take bullets without bleeding and when I tried opening doors I usually broke them.

[Not going to explain the part about killing them because he thought they were leprechauns.

Why? Because he thought that hitting them on the head would get him gold.

In his defense, he was exceptionally drunk at the time.]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[Luckily, Lucas isn't that type of psychic. He'll just look slightly impressed for a few seconds before nodding a little.]

Did you ever meet them again? Did they ever say why they wanted you to have the power at all?

[heartstar-blues.livejournal.com]

Never saw them again...

[Pretty sure some government got their bodies.]

They thought Brooklyn was a post apocalyptic ☠☠☠☠ hole and wanted me to fix it.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

That's too bad... It was kind of the same way with the people who showed me how to use my powers. They . . . had to disappear.

Were you able to fix it?

[heartstar-blues.livejournal.com]

Yeah, probably like that.

[Not at all.]

No, you can't really fix the problems in Brooklyn by beating it up. It's up to the people in charge and money to fix the problem but they'll never get around to it.

I did help stomp an organization of bad guys bent on ruining the world though. They were recruiting super hero teams too, so we took them down.

[Used to work for them, but at least someone in his team figured out the problem.]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[Paranoid murder is totally the same as having to leave after fulfilling your purpose...]

What if your team was put in charge? It sounds like you might know how to improve things better than the people who're in charge right now.